Q. WHO MAKES THE DOLLS?
A. THIS IS A LONG ANSWER.....
WHEN WE FIRST BEGAN, THE FIRST FEW DOLLS WERE MADE BY MY HUSBAND. THEN I STARTED HELPING. AS HE BECAME MORE AND MORE INVOLVED IN HIS OWN CAREER AND PROJECTS AND COMPAINIES I BEGAN WORKING ON THEM MORE AND MORE WITHOUT HIS HELP. EVENTUALLY, I BECAME THE ONLY ONE MAKING THEM.
Q. WHO SHOULD I CONTACT? HIDEOUSBOI OR YOU?
A. ME!!!!! HIDEOUSBOI WILL NOT REPLY (MOST LIKELY) AND HE WILL PROBABLY PUNCH YOU IN THE NECK SO IF YOU WRITE HIM ABOUT THE DOLLS ON MYSPACE, DONT EXPECT A REPLY FROM HIM. LIKE I SAID, HE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THEM RIGHT NOW!!!!!
Q. WHO MADE THE DOLLS IN THE GALLERIES ON YOUR SITE?
A. MOST OF THE IMAGES IN THE GALLERIES ARE OF DOLLS THAT ME AND HIDEOUSBOI MADE TOGETHER.
Q. I SAW A DOLL IN THE DOLL GALLERY ON YOUR SITE THAT I HAVE TO HAVE- HOW CAN I BUY IT?
A. ALL OF THE DOLLS IN THE GALLERIES HAVE BEEN SOLD. PLEASE SEE THE FOR SALE PAGE TO SEE WHAT DOLLS I AM SELLING NOW.
Q. WHY THE NAME BASTET2329?
A. BACK IN 1997 OR SO I DISCOVERED THE ONLINE WORLD. MY FAMILY WAS TOO POOR TO OWN A COMPUTER AND MATT HAD ONE. WHEN WE BEGAN GOING OUT, I SET UP AN AOL ACCOUNT AT HIS HOUSE. ALL OF THE NAMES I WANTED WERE TAKEN! AOL USED TO SUGGEST A NAME FOR YOU IF THE ONES YOU WANTED WERE GONE- I WENT THROUGH A BILLION NAMES AND THEN TRIED BASTET (I WAS REALLY INTO ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ART AT THE TIME AND SHE IS THE CAT GODDESS). AOL SUGGESTED BASTET2329.
SHORTLY AFTER, I DISCOVERED EBAY. I PICKED MY EMAIL ADDRESS AS MY NAME. LATER, I SHORTENED IT TO BASTET2329. IT NEVER REALLY OCCURED TO ME TO CHANGE IT. WE LISTED THE FIRST DOLL WE MADE FOR SALE UNDER THAT NAME AND AFTER WE BEGAN GETTING REPEAT BIDDERS, I FEARED CHANGE! SOMEONE SAID I SHOULD MAKE A WEBSITE SO AGAIN, FEARING CHANGE, I MADE IT WWW.BASTET2329.COM
IT MEANS NOTHING REALLY- JUST A NAME. WHEN I PAINT I GO BY CHRISTIE (NO LAST NAME, LIKE MADONNA OR CHER OR SINBAD!) BUT I HAVE COME TO BE KNOWN AS BASTET2329 AND THATS OK!
Q. WHAT DO YOU MAKE THE TEETH FROM?
A. I WILL NOT ANSWER THIS QUESTION. LONG AGO I HAD SOMEONE ASK ALL INNOCENTLY AND THEN TRY TO COPY THE DOLLS SO "IT'S A SECRET!" ITS NOTHING THAT CANNOT BE FIGURED OUT IF SOMEONE ACTUALLY WANTED TO FIGURE IT OUT. BUT EACH TOOTH IS HANDMADE- THESE ARE NOT BOUGHT!
Q. WILL YOU GIVE US A DOLL FOR A PHOTO SHOOT, ALBUM COVER, MOVIE, MAGAZINE,, ETC?
A. I NEED TO EAT TOO. JUST LIKE YOU. SO GENERALLY SPEAKING, NO. IF YOU WANT TO BUY A DOLL, THTS FINE. IF YOU WANT TO RENT A DOLL, THATS FINE TOO. UNLESS I FEEL THAT THE BENEFITS OF GIVING YOU A DOLL ARE VERY GOOD FOR ME, I WON'T DO IT. AND BY BENEFITS I MEAN TONS OF EXPOSURE OR WHATEVER. IF YOU ARE MAKING A LOW BUDGET HORROR MOVIE THATS BEEN SHELVED BEFORE FILMING I JUST DONT SEE HOW THAT HELPS ME! BUT YOU CAN ALWAYS ASK ME....
Q. I WANT TO USE ONE OF YOUR IMAGES- CAN I?
A. CONTACT ME AND WE WILL TALK. IF YOU JUST WANT TO USE IT AS A MYSPACE PICTURE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THATS COOL BUT GIVE ME CREDIT. IF YOU PLAN TO PUT MY IMAGE ON SHIRTS YOU ARE GONNA SELL, I WANT MY CUT!
Q. WHATS THE BEST WAY TO CONTACT YOU?
A. MYSPACE. SOMETIMES I DO NOT GET MY EMAILS BUT I AM ALWAYS ON MYSPACE!
Q. DO YOU HAVE A CATALOGE?
A. NO. MY INVENTORY CHANGES WEEKLY, SOMETIMES DAILY. I LIST NEW DOLLS ONLINE ALL THE TIME (I SELL ON MY WEBSITE, EBAY AND ETSY)
Q. ARE THE DOLLS MASS PRODUCED? WILL THEY EVER BE?
A. NO . EACH DOLL IS ONE OF A KIND. I HAVE NO PLANS TO MASS PRODUCE THE DOLLS. I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST MASS PRODUCTION BUT MY DOLLS JUST WOULD NOT TRANSLATE OVER INTO THE MASS PRODUCED WORLD.
Q. WE HAVE A GALLERY OR SHOP- WANNA SELL SOME DOLLS THORUGH US?
A. CONTACT ME AND LETS TALK.
Q. WILL YOU SHIP TO ME IF I LIVE OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES?
A. SURE! I WELCOME ALL INTERNATIONAL BUYERS!
Q. DO YOU CAST THE DOLLS YOURSELF.
A. NO! EACH DOLL IS ONE I HAVE FOUND, BOUGHT OR BEEN GIVEN. I DO NOT CAST THE DOLLS MYSELF- THAT WOULD INCREASE THE PRICE GREATLY AND I LIKE TO KEEP MY ART AFFORDABLE! I ALSO LOVE THE IDEA OF "RECYCLING" A DOLL SOMEONE BROKE OR TOSSED BECAUSE IT MAKES THEM THAT MUCH SADDER. IT ALSO MAKES ME FEEL MORE CONNECTED TO THEM- I FEEL LIKE I AM GIVING THEM A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE!
Q. DOLLS ARE SCARY IN GENERAL BUT YOUR ARE EVEN SCARIER!
A. DOLLS ARE SCARY. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN FRIGHTENED BY THEM. BUT I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED THEM. I PLAYED BARBIES WITH MY SISTER UNTIL I WAS 13. I ONLY STOPPED BECAUSE I WAS GETTING MADE FUN OF. IT WAS NOT UNTIL LATE HIGH SCHOOL THAT I DISCOVERED DOLLS AGAIN AND IN COLLEGE I BEGAN BUYING BROKEN ONES FOR ART PROJECTS.
Q. COLLEGE?
A. COMMUNITY COLLEGE. I TOOK ART CLASSES BUT I SUCKED (OKAY, I FELT LIKE I SUCKED BECAUSE MY STUFF WAS DIFFERENT). I GOT MY AA DEGREE BUT I MOSTLY WENT FOR FUN. IT WAS A FUN TIME, I TOOK FILM CLASSES, DABBLED IN PHOTOGRAPHY, TOOK SOME NIGHT PAINTING CLASSES WHICH WERE INSANELY STUPID, TOOK LIFE DRAWING WHICH I SUCKED AT, AND HAD A GOOD TIME :)
THATS WHERE I STOPPED. I THOUGHT ABOUT GOING FURTHER BUT I WANTED TO JUST BE ME AND PAINT WHAT I WANTED IN MY OWN WAY AND THATS WHAT I DO! Q. YOU HAVE A DAUGHTER, WHAT DOES SHE THINK OF THE DOLLS?
A. I GET THIS QUESTION ALL THE TIME! I DO HAVE A LITTLE GIRL NAMED ZOE. SHE IS 2. SHE SAYS "MAMAS DOLLS" WHEN SHE SEES ONE. SHE SAYS "TEETH" WHEN THERE IS A VAMPIRE. SOMETIMES SHE WILL PICK ONE UP AND CARRY IT AROUND. SHE LOVES SKELETONS AND HALLOWEEN AND SHE DOES NOT GET SCARED BY THE DOLLS. THAT MAY CHANGE SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE BUT RIGHT NOW SHE SUPPORTS MY ART AND LOVES TO WATCH ME WORK!
Q. YOU DON'T LOOK THE WAY I THOUGHT A CREEPY DOLL MAKER SHOULD LOOK!
A. THIS ONE CRACKS ME UP! I DON'T KNOW WHAT I AM SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE BUT I AM JUST ME! IN 2006 I LOST 50 POUNDS AND BEFORE THEN , I TRIED TO HIDE BEHIND MY COMPUTER. NOW THAT I AM FEELING MORE COMFORTABLE, PEOPLE ARE MEETING ME MORE IN PERSON AND THIS STATEMENT KEEPS COMING UP. I APOLIGIZE IF I AM NOT WHAT PEOPLE EXPECT! HAHAHA.
Q. DO YOU MAKE THE SAME DOLL TWICE?
A. NO. THE DOLLS ARE ONE OF A KIND. I MAY BE ABLE TO MAKE A SIMILAR STYLE OF DOLL BUT I MAKE THEM BASED ON THE MATERIALS I HAVE OR CAN GET.
Q. WHY ARE YOUR DOLLS SO EXPENSIVE?
A. I GET THIS ALL THE TIME. THEY ARE NOT. THEY ARE ART. THEY TAKE TIME TO MAKE. THEY TAKE MATERIALS. I TRY TO KEEP THE PRICES AS LOW AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE I AM JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, I BUY ARTWORK MYSELF AND IF THE PRICE TAG IS WAY HIGH, I TEND TO NOT BUY IT! GO INTO ANY ART GALLERY AND YOU WILL SEE PAINTINGS ON THE WALL WITH PRICES OF $1000 OR MORE- CHANCES ARE SOME OF THOSE TOOK AS MUCH TIME AS IT TOOK TO MAKE A DOLL. SOME PEOPLE DO NOT SEE WHAT I DO AS ART BECAUSE THEY THINK OF ART ONLY IN CANVAS FORM. ONE DAY, I HOPE THAT CHAGES!
Q. I SAW THE LIVING DEAD DOLL YOU DID IN THE NY SHOW- WILL YOU CUSTOMIZE A LDD FOR ME?
A. NO! THAT MOUTH BELLY DOLL WAS FOR A ONE TIME THING (UNLESS I GET INVITED BACK). I DO NOT CUSTOMIZE VINYL DOLLS ON A REGULAR BASIS ANYWAYS, I FEEL MOST COMFORTABLE IN PORCELAIN.
Q. YOU ARE GOING TO HELL FOR THE NUNS YOU MAKE.
A. TO GO TO HELL, I WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO BELEIVE IN IT AND I DONT...... WHEN I MAKE NUNS, I GET LOTS OF RELIGIOUS HATE MAIL (ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE FOR SALE ON EBAY). I USUALLY PRINT IT AND LAUGH AT IT- I USED TO KEEP A FOLDER. I MAKE NUNS BECAUSE I HAVE A WEIRD OBESSION WITH NUNS- IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH RELIGION.
Q. WHAT IS YOUR WEBSITE ADDRESS?
A. I HAVE MANY! BUT THEY ALL GO TO THE SAME PLACE (THIS SITE!)_
Q. WILL YOU BE VENDING AT *INSERT CONVENTION NAME HERE*?
A. NO. PROBABLY NOT. I HAVE A TODDLER AND I AM A STAY AT HOME MOMMY SO VENIDNG IS NOT SOMETHING I DO FOR THE MOST PART. THE ONLY EXCEPTION TO THAT HAS BEEN THE BATS DAY BLACK MARKET (I PLAN TO DO IT AGAIN THIS YEAR).
BUT- I AM ALWAYS AT COMIC CON (JUST NOT SELLING) SO IF YOU WANT TO SAY HI TRACK ME DOWN! ANYONE AT THE OCTOBER TOYS BOOTH CAN POINT ME OUT! Q. YOU MENTIONED OCTOBER TOYS- TELL ME MORE.
A. HIDEOUSBOI IS CO-OWNER OF OCTOBER TOYS. THEY MADE THE ARTIST DESIGNED GWINS. I EVEN HAVE ONE IN SERIES 2 (ALL SERIES 2 GWINS HAVE MY LOGO ON THE SIDE). HE IS THE JESUS (OR JEBUS) GWIN. IF YOU WANT ONE, CONTACT ME- I CAN SELL YOU A SIGNED ONE- I HAVE SOME LEFT THAT ARE FOR SALE (JUST NOT LISTED CURRENTLY)
THEY ALSO MADE LYLLIONIA, THE FIRST POCKETFULLOFPOSIEZ DOLLY AND SHE IS SO CUTE, YOU NEED TO GO BUY ONE. DESIGNED BY QUEENIE, MORE DOLLS TO COME SOON. GO CHECK HER STUFF OUT ON MYSPACE! Q. YOU MENTIONED POCKETFULLOFPOSIEZ. IS IT TRUE THAT YOU CUSTOMIZED ONE OF HER DOLLS? WHERE CAN I BUY ONE?
A. I HAVE BEEN GETTING ASKED THIS A LOT SINCE WE POSTED PICTURES OF THE RE-VAMPED LYLLIONIA ONLINE. THE ANSWER IS YOU CANNOT BUY ONE- IT WAS AN INSIDE IDEA, NOT JOKE, BUT SOMETHING WE KIDDED AROUND ABOUT. AND FINALLY I DID IT AND SHE TOOK SOME CUTE PICTURES AND NOW SHE HAS THAT DOLL IN HER PRIVATE COLLECTION.
Q. HOW MANY DOLLS HAVE YOU (AND HIDEOUSBOI) MADE?
A. DON'T KNOW. HUNDREDS. THERE ARE A LOT.
Q. WHAT IS YOUR FAVEORITE DOLL YOU HAVE MADE?
A. I DONT KNOW. SOMETIMES I WILL MAKE ONE THAT I FALL IN LOVE WITH. BUT IN GENERAL I LOVE ALL THE SKULL HEADED GIRLS. THEY ARE JUST PERFECT TO ME :)
Q. HOW MANY OF YOUR DOLLS DO YOU OWN?
A. NONE. SILLY AS IT SOUNDS, I HAVE NEVER KEPT ONE FOR ME. UP UNTIL A WEEK AGO, I DID NOT HAVE MY OF MY ART ON MY WALL EITHER BUT THEN I MADE A PIECE THAT I FELL IN LOVE WITH AND KEPT FOR MY ROOM.
Q. DO YOU HAVE A STUDIO? CAN I COME OVER?
A. NO. I WORK OUT OF THE HOME AND I DONT LET STRANGERS OVER TO PLAY- SORRY. BUY MY DOLLS SO I CAN AFFORD TO GET A STUDIO AND THEN I WILL LET YOU COME OVER! HAHAHAHAHA
Q. AND LAST- WHERE CAN I BUY YOUR DOLLS?
A. CLICK ON THE FOR SALE LINK ON THIS SITE - FROM TIME TO TIME, I ALSO SELL ON ETSY AND EBAY . I ALSO HAVE DOLLS FOR SALE IN MANY SHOPS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES- GO TO THE STORES THAT CARRY MY DOLLS PAGE AND YOU CAN FIND THE LINKS THERE!
